Google reveals Glass tech specs including 5MP camera

Google has released the specs for its forthcoming Glass headsets, promising users a computer-equipped pair of spectacles, capable of lasting a full day's use and able to take pictures to 5MP quality.

Google claimed the wearable computers will give users a display equivalent to a 25in high definition screen viewed from distance of eight feet when in fact the information is displayed on the glasses' lens.

Glass headsets will also include limited Wi-Fi capabilities – just 802.11b/g, not the increasingly common 802.11n standard, along with Bluetooth connectivity.

Its on-board camera will be capable of shooting 5MP pictures and taking 720p video, with users getting 16GB of flash memory, 12GB if which will be usable. On-board storage will also be synched with Google's cloud services.

According to Google, the Glass headset will work with any Bluetooth capable handset, but users will need an Android smartphone running Ice Cream Sandwich or later to use the companion app. Such restrictions seem unlikely to be a deterrent for the crowd Google is targeting with the headsets.

Google first unveiled its wearable headset computer last year, releasing a limited number of developer versions for a cool $1,500. It has predicted that consumer versions could be available before the end of 2013.

The headsets present wearers with information about their environment and enables them to capture images of their surroundings, as well as videos.

The search giant has also been drip feeding out details of the forthcoming headsets, releasing an online Q&A early this month, giving users vital information, such as whether they can use Google Glass while operating a jackhammer.